September 17, 2026. OTTAWA, ON. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress Charitable & Educational Trust (UCC-CE Trust) is pleased to welcome Daria Furtak as the 2026-2027 UCC Parliamentary Intern.
“We are pleased to welcome Daria as this year Parliamentary intern,” stated Danylo Korbabicz, CEO of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. “Daria has been deeply involved in the Ukrainian Canadian community since beginning her university studies. Now, as she enters the next stage of her professional life, we are delighted that she will continue exploring her interests in public service while representing our community on Parliament Hill.”
Daria recently graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance. In 2025-2026, she served as President of the Ukrainian Canadian Students’ Union (SUSK) and, before that, led the University of Ottawa Ukrainian Students’ Club. In May 2026 she participated in the organization of the UCC Advocacy Day, which brought more than 50 students from across Canada to Parliament Hill. She served on the Chair Team for the UCC’s most recent Triennial Congress in Toronto in November 2025.
Her professional experience includes working as Development Officer for the NATO Field School at Simon Fraser University and completing two internships at Scotiabank during her undergraduate studies.
Daria will work in the office of James Maloney, Member of Parliament for Etobicoke-Lakeshore, contributing to the office’s parliamentary and constituency work through research, communications, stakeholder engagement and day-to-day operations.
“I am deeply honoured to have been selected as this years’ Parliamentary Intern,” stated Furtak. “I would not be the person or leader I am today without the Ukrainian Canadian community which has challenged me to grow so much as a person and provided opportunities and a network that I never imagined I’d be able to have. I truly intend to make the most of my 10 months working on Parliament Hill and gaining firsthand experience in Canada’s federal government.”
“We are deeply grateful to everyone whose generosity makes this program possible,” stated Walter Dlugosh, Trustee of the UCC Charitable & Educational Trust, which funds the internship. “Investing in Ukrainian Canadian youth creates opportunities for emerging leaders to develop the knowledge and confidence needed to serve both our community and Canada.”
2025-26 UCC Parliamentary Intern Valeriia Gusieva, who worked in the office of Sameer Zuberi, (MP, Pierrefonds–Dollard), stated, “The experiences I have gained over these 10 months have deepened my commitment to public service and to the Ukrainian Canadian community. This internship has given me a firsthand understanding of how policy is shaped and how advocacy translates into action on Parliament Hill. As my internship was coming to a close, I was offered the opportunity to remain in MP Zuberi’s office to continue serving Canadians. I look forward to what lies ahead, and I remain deeply grateful to the UCC Charitable and Educational Trust, and the Ukrainian Canadian community for their support.”
For a report from the 2025-26 UCC Parliamentary Intern, Valeriia Gusieva, please see here: https://www.ucccetrust.ca/valeriia-gusieva-parliamentary-intern-report-2026/
“We are very glad that Valeriia’s internship was a success, and we look forward to seeing what the next chapter in her career brings,” stated Korbabicz.
The UCC Parliamentary Internship is made possible through the generous support of many individual and organizational donors. To view the program’s supporters and learn how to help provide future Ukrainian Canadian leaders with this opportunity, please visit the UCC Charitable & Educational Trust website.
To learn more about the UCC Parliamentary Internship Program, please visit the program’s website https://www.ucccetrust.ca/programs/parliamentary-internship-program/
